Breaking Bao: 88 Bakes and Snacks from Asia and Beyond

(Hardback)

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From acclaimed pastry chef Clarice Lam: a visually sumptuous pan-Asian baking book exploring an umami-rich array of baked goods, confections, and savory snacks. Breaking Bao is a culinary journey bridging gaps between Asian flavors and global techniques. It is a collection of recipes rooted in renowned chef Clarice Lims personal journey of self-discovery and the transformative power of embracing ones heritage. Here are 88 approachable recipes that are firmly rooted in classical French technique but travel far and wide. Dive into three chapters, exploring: Bao: the fundamentals of baked, steamed, fried, or laminated buns and breads, from golden curry-filled donuts to Rice Dumplings filled with Hong Kong Bolognese to Vietnamese Cinnamon-Raisin Babka. Cakes & Desserts: classics treated with a twist, such as Mango-Yakult Tres Leches Cake, Ovaltine Mochi Marjolaine, and Pandan-Lime Meringue Pie. Snax: savory and sweet treats, from Cantonese-Style Fig and Marzipan Mooncakes to Gochujang-Furikake Caramel Popcorn to Ramen Cheese Itz. Featuring more than 100 stunning photographs by prominent food, lifestyle, and travel photographer Evan Sung, Breaking Bao is a visual feast as well as a go-to cookbook. For home cooks looking to expand their repertories, these projects range from simple cookies and flavored popcorn snacks to lavish mille feuille and laminated pastries. With humor, whimsy, and respect for traditions, Lam invites readers into these pages to break barriers, bread, and bao, all at the same table.

Reviews

"Breaking Bao is the book I will be returning to again and again with its superb storytelling, crave-able and addictive recipes all spun through the prism of a young global nomad who grew up using food as her lifeboat. From Japanese Milk Bread to Dan Dan Sheng Jian Bao, Coconut Croissants to Vietnamese Cinnamon Raisin Babka, Lam's Asian techniques and a universal awareness of international flavors leaps from the pages into the kitchen. This book is the food you love to eat, and now you can cook it, too."

--Andrew Zimmern, Emmy and James Beard award-winning TV personality, chef, and writer

"Clarice Lam's work beautifully collides multiple worlds, stemming from her childhood and life experiences, creating a unique purview. Readers are invited to break bao together, forging connections through her vivid storytelling that merges different aspects of life into a shared experience."

--Camari Mick, Executive Pastry Chef and Partner at Raf's and Musket Room

"I want to tear into every recipe in this book! I am totally obsessed with Clarice's playful, original, delicious takes on classic Asian sweets. I cannot decide where to start: the black and white mochi munchkins or the marzipan mooncakes!"

--Molly Yeh, New York Times bestselling author and Food Network host

"In Breaking Bao, Clarice Lam captures the complex, soul-searching experience of being a first-generation Asian American chef. I love the way she taps into her formative experiences as well as her immense industry experience to inform her stunning, inventive, and mouthwatering recipes. This is a uniquely creative mind at work--there's miso in the marshmallows, matcha in the shortbread, and dragon fruit in the nougat--and her passion is infectious and inspiring."

--Natasha Pickowicz, pastry chef and author of More Than Cake

Author Bio

Clarice Lam is an award-winning pastry chef based in New York City. In addition to working stints at Bouchon Bakery, Spice Market, and The Chocolate Room, she opened The Baking Bean in Brooklyn in 2012. She was the opening pastry chef at Kimika, an Italian-Japanese restaurant named a James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in 2022. Her writing has been widely featured in outlets from the New York Times to People, Cond Nast Traveler, and South China Morning Post. Her television credits include appearances on Sweet Genius, Food.Curated., Beat Bobby Flay: Revenge, and Best Baker in America, where she finished as a semifinalist. Lam is currently a judge on TheDr. Seuss Baking Challenge.